The Valentine's Day Scheme
by Reizbar-Ookami
Summary: ONESHOT: When tempers rise, sometimes people say things they don't mean. Can Seto get Joey back when he says something he didn't mean? Mokuba has come up with a plan to make him realize just how much Joey means to him. Let the jealousy begin. SetoxJoey


The Valentine's Day Scheme

"--And then he said he didn't love me, he never loved me, and he never _will_ love me," Joey finished, sniffing quietly.

Mai raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Gee, when you and Kaiba get in an argument, you go all out, don't you?"

Joey smiled bitterly at his bowl of melted sundae. "That's the first time we've ever said such harsh things to the other since we started datin'."

"In three years?" The woman smiled sympathetically. "That _is_ surprising. So what was this big fight all about?

"...Well..." Joey looked to the side and sighed, forcing himself to calm down. "...I... wanted him t' take the day off on Valentine's Day so we could spend some time together, 'cause he's been workin' so hard, and I just thought... Well, that's what I get for thinkin', huh?"

Mai sighed and patted his hand. "Oh, Joey, it's okay. He'll see how much you meant to him sooner or later."

"Tch, yeah, right." The teen sighed and stood up, placing some money on the table. "He's probably glad I'm finally outta his life. All I seem to do is bother him lately. I'll see ya later, Mai. Now that I'm back with Dad, curfew is back in use."

"Your father is _really_ paranoid. You know that, right?" she asked, glancing at her watch.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. ...Had to blackmail my way to nine o'clock. Catch ya later."

-z-z-z-

Seto sighed and rubbed the back of his head as he wandered back into his mansion. He'd never gotten that angry before. He knew he needed to get away before he said something _really_ hurtful to his puppy. Sure, he said he didn't love him, but that was easily fixed with some well placed kisses.

He walked into the living room, where Joey could usually be found playing some game with Mokuba. Finding no blond on the couch with his brother, he asked, "Where's Joey?"

"Eh," Mokuba answered, shrugging. "He left earlier today in tears saying he never wanted to see you again and took all of his stuff with him." He paused his game and turned to face his older brother. "Then again, I'd leave too if my boyfriend of three years told me he'd never loved me. What were you guys fighting over, anyway?"

"...I..." Seto looked down at his feet, the information taking its sweet cherry time to sink in. "He... wanted me to take Thursday off..."

"That's because it's Valentine's Day, moron," the younger Kaiba answered, rolling his eyes. "You've been neglecting Joey again, haven't you?"

"I haven't been _neglecting_ him!" Seto exclaimed, outraged at the thought.

Mokuba raised an eyebrow and rested his chin in his hand, obviously used to his brother's hopelessness when it came to romance and relationships. "Right, uh huh. So _how_ long have I been saving your relationship from certain doom?"

"...Since it started..." the brunet sighed, running a hand through his hair angrily.

"And _why_ have I needed to save your relationship from certain doom?"

"...Because sometimes I neglect Joey..."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Mokuba stated, nodding, then turned back to his paused game. "However, nothing I can say can make Joey give you another chance after what you told him. If you want him back, you really need to take care of this one yourself. Oh, and if you _can't_ get Joey back, you need to hire a chef. I don't know how to cook and the last time you cooked, we had to find the fire extinguisher."

-z-z-z-

"So if you don't have any plans for Valentine's Day, what're you gonna do?" Tristan asked, frowning.

Joey shrugged. "Dunno. Probably become a vegetable in front of the TV, drownin' my sorrows in chocolate, whipped cream, an' strawberries."

"Or you could go find someone to make Kaiba jealous. Seriously, Joe, do you have a malicious bone in your body, or did those all turn to mushy, gooey friendship bones when Yugi stood up for you?"

The blond scowled at him. "Are ya implyin' that my mushy, gooey friendship bones can't kick ass?"

Despite the serious way the question was asked, both teens burst into hysterical laughter. The words mushy, gooey, friendship, and bones should never be used in the same sentence.

"Whatever, dude. Listen, I gotta go. I promised Duke I'd do this whole fancy dinner thing for Valentine's Day and I have no idea what the hell kind of dinner he wants," Tristan sighed, standing up.

"Mm, here, have my reservations to that French place he likes so much," the blond ordered, handing a paper with the time of the reservation on it. "Seven o'clock under Wheeler. Dude, ya gotta plan these dinners like months ahead of time. All the fancy shmancy places 're booked already."

Tristan sighed again, frowning. "Are you sure?"

Joey rolled his eyes. "I hate French food. The only reason I ate it is because Seto liked it. Besides, what am I gonna do at a fancy place alone?" Both turned their heads as the doorbell rang. The blond scowled slightly. "What the hell?"

"Delivery for Joseph Wheeler."

"Ah, that's probably the rich bastard suckin' up now," Tristan stated cheerfully.

Joey grumbled a few obscenities about brunets in general but answered the door nonetheless. He was met with the face of a familiar raven-haired teen. He raised an eyebrow. "...Mokuba?"

"Seto's going to try and get you back, but you have to play hard to get, okay?" the younger teen ordered, raising an eyebrow expectantly. "Because he needs to learn that he needs to make an _effort_ to keep your relationship going. And he needs to learn that I'm not always going to be there to smooth things over and fix his mistakes. Now, I've arranged a date for you with one of Seto's business associates for Valentine's Day. Simple picnic lunch in the park. You're _going_ to _enjoy_ it. Got it?"

The blond blinked at him for a moment, stunned, before asking, "Why am I doing this?"

"To make Seto jealous, make him realize that he is _blessed_ to have you, and punish him for being a moron and taking you for granted," Mokuba answered, crossing his arms. "Now, Valentine's Day is on Thursday; that means we have only today and tomorrow to find the perfect outfit for you. Seto _must_ be made outrageously jealous, otherwise he'll just let it slide and get into another argument with you. Are you ready to go shopping?"

"...Thanks for the reservations, Joe," Tristan stated, walking out the door before he could get dragged into the younger teen's scheme. "I refuse to become a part of your psychotic Kaiba problem."

The young Kaiba growled and grabbed Joey's wrist. "Come _on,_ Joey! Your relationship with Seto is at stake!"

"Fine, but no fishnet this time! That was embarrassing!" the blond exclaimed, scowling.

-z-z-z-

_**"Hi! This is Joey! My phone must be off or somethin' else important, otherwise, I'd be answerin' ya. Leave a message and I'll get back t' ya eventually."**_

Seto growled and slammed his phone back on its receiver. Two days. He'd been calling Joey for _two days._ Today was Valentine's Day! Shouldn't he be moping around the house, heartbroken?! Seriously! Did he miscalculate the blond?

"I'm going for a walk. Hold all my calls," he ordered darkly, stalking down to the front door.

"Um, yes sir," his secretary answered, unsure of what to make of it. "Make sure to go through the park!"

Seto crossed his arms and sighed softly. True, the park always _did_ make him feel better after getting upset, but... the probability of seeing lots and lots of happy couples put him in a sense of unease. Oh, well, he probably deserved it, considering what he'd told the only person outside of Mokuba that he cared about.

As he wandered through the park, he kept his eyes focused on the ground. He didn't feel like seeing everyone else being happy while he himself felt lonely and miserable. He didn't care how vulnerable it made him seem. He just wanted to sulk for a while.

"Wouldja keep your hands t' yourself for a _minute!?_"

The brunet lifted his head quickly. 'Joey?' Turning, he found that it was, indeed, his beloved puppy in the park. ...On a picnic. With Shibuza Inori, one of his business associates. He felt his eyebrow twitch slightly as Inori slid his hand up the blond's thigh.

Joey sighed and rolled his eyes, lifting the hand from his leg carelessly. "If you're gonna feel me up, ya could at least have a glass o' wine first, so I could blame it on that."

"So you're saying you'd fool around with me if I got drunk?" Inori asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking at him.

The blond smiled innocently. "Well, I won't promise ya anything, but I _think_ I might be persuaded..."

"Hmm, I like the idea of that..."

Joey blushed as the older man leaned toward him, just about to pull him into a kiss, when suddenly he found himself hoisted in the air. "What the--"

Seto glared at his red-haired business associate angrily. "My puppy. Go find your own."

The blond blushed a little more and began pounding on the CEO's back. "Seto, put me down! This is embarrassing! _Seto!_"

"I don't understand what you're saying, Mr. Kaiba," Inori stated, frowning. "Joey _accepted_ my request for a date. He came of his own free will."

"Then by his own free will he's going to _leave_ your date," Seto snarled, then looked back at the smaller teen, eyes narrowing. "_Aren't_ you, puppy?"

"I..." Joey bit his lip nervously, then sighed. "Sorry, Inori. Can we finish this some other time?"

Despite the growl that the brunet let out, Inori smiled and nodded. "I'd love to. I'll see you around."

"Bye!" the blond exclaimed cheerfully, waving as he was carried away, before turning to glare over his shoulder at the CEO. "What the _hell_ do ya think you're doin', Seto!?"

"Taking back what is mine," Seto answered angrily, walking back into Kaiba Corp. swiftly.

As he swept through the building, looking fit to kill, no one questioned why he was holding Joey hostage. It was somewhat normal to see them acting like this, actually. Joey would cuss and shout and Seto would ignore and glare and everybody would just go about their merry way. Oh, yes, it was a perfectly normal part of the corporation's day.

Dropping the blond on the floor of his office, he turned toward him angrily. "_Shibuza Inori?!_ Of all the people you choose, you chose _Shibuza INORI?!_"

Joey stood and crossed his arms, glaring at the floor. "And what's wrong with that?"

"I'm so much better than he is! What the hell does he have that would attract you to him?!"

"He _knows_ how to _loosen up,_" the blond answered, slowly raising his glare to focus it on the CEO. "Unlike a certain stupid, selfish, robotic vampire Kaiba that I know!"

Seto felt a definite unease as the amber gaze burning into him didn't falter, didn't move, but he refused to show it. "_You're_ calling _me_ stupid, mutt?!"

Joey growled and let his arms fall to his side, hands balling into fists. "_Yes,_ I'm callin' ya stupid! I hafta fight for your attention, Seto! With a _company!_ I hafta compete with a _company_ for your attention! What does this place have that I don't?!" he asked angrily, waving one of his hands around to indicate the building. "It doesn't _love_ ya! It doesn't cuddle ya or hug and kiss ya! It doesn't let ya pound it into the bed so hard that it can't walk in the mornin'! What does this place have... that I can't give ya?"

The blond dropped his gaze and bit his bottom lip to keep from letting a sob escape his lips. There; he'd said it. He'd admitted that he was jealous of a company that kept stealing his lover away. ...How pathetic was it that he lost to an artificial person?

Seto frowned and walked up beside him. "...Puppy..."

The smaller teen whimpered and took a step away. "Don't call me that. Ya don't love me, so ya can't call me that anymore."

The brunet ignored his statements and grabbed his shoulders gently. "Puppy, I love you. I've loved you for a long time. I didn't mean what I said; I was just angry. Please believe me?"

"If ya can't take time away from your stupid company for me on Valentine's Day, I don't wanna be with ya. I'm... I'm not gonna fight for your attention anymore," Joey whispered, tears beginning to fall over his eyelids. "I love ya and ya don't even wanna spend _time_ with me..."

Seto pulled him into a hug and sighed. "Joey, I want you to listen to me. Will you do that?" When the blond nodded, he continued. "I love you. I love you so much it hurts. I don't want you to leave me. I don't think I'd ever be able to forgive myself. I didn't realize I was neglecting you again. I didn't mean to get so angry with you. Up until three years ago, Valentine's Day was just another workday for me. Please forgive me."

The smaller teen sobbed and gripped the brunet's shirt tightly. "How do ya always know what I need to hear to stay around?!"

"Because I love you," the CEO answered, nuzzling the blond's neck affectionately. "I love you so much that I'll do anything for you."

"Except take a day off," Joey muttered bitterly, turning his head.

"...Come on, puppy," Seto sighed, throwing the blond over his shoulder again.

Joey yelped in surprise, then looked over his shoulder at him in confusion. "What're ya doin', Seto?"

Stalking out his office door once more, the brunet merely stated, "I'm taking the rest of today off. I'm taking tomorrow and the weekend off as well. If anyone needs to contact me, tell them to burn in hell, because I have more important matters to attend to."

Again, his secretary looked up at him in surprise, then smiled. "Yes, sir. Goodbye, Joey!"

"Bye, Yuri!" the blond called cheerfully, waving at her. "Don't work too hard!"

-z-z-z-

As soon as they arrived back at the mansion, Seto dropped his lover on the floor again and shouted, "_MOKUBA!_"

The younger teen looked at them in surprise, then smiled. "Ah, you made up, I see!"

"I am going to rip your skin from body, cut you into little pieces, burn your bones, and feed your remains to rabid dogs," the brunet stated angrily, hands clenching into fists.

"...Why?" Mokuba asked, trying to look innocent.

"_Inori Shibuza,_" Seto answered, then began walking toward him.

The raven-haired teen blinked at him momentarily before smiling at Joey and waving. "Bye, Joey!" And with that, he disappeared out the window he'd so conveniently left open.

Joey sat up straight and frowned, tilting his head at the CEO innocently. "Why ya keep droppin' me on my ass, Seto? I thought ya liked it." When the brunet flinched and he saw his hand twitch almost uncontrollably, the smaller teen giggled playfully and got to his feet, making his way over to the staircase. "I guess I'll just wait for ya upstairs, hmm?"

Seto turned toward him sharply, smirking. "Who said you're going to make it upstairs?"

"I can run pretty fast when I hafta," the blond reminded him, giggling again, before sprinting up the stairs. "I'll be waitin'!"

"Not for long," Seto answered, only two steps behind him.


End file.
